2019 NCAA Division III Women’s Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2019 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, March 20 – Saturday, March 23, 2019
• Swimming: prelims 10am, finals 6pm; Diving: 2pm
• Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions: Emory (9x) (results)
• Digital Program
• Official Psych Sheet
• Live Video
• Live Results │ Diving Results
• Championship Central

DAY FOUR FINALS

WOMEN’S 1650 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 16:21.44 3/21/2015, Sarah Thompson, Williams

1. Laura Westphal, Williams – 16:35.50
2. Julia Dermer, Emory – 16:44.55
3. Margaret Menso, Saint Kate’s – 16:47.96
4. Kendall Vanderhoof, Kenyon – 16:52.66
5. Rachel Reistroffer, NYU – 16:55.85
6. Natalie Zaravella, Denison – 16:56.15
7. Nancy Nasky, SUNY Geneseo – 17:00.10
8. Lydia DaCorte, Wheaton College – 17:00.61

Julia Dermer took it out wicked fast, maintaining well over a body length lead over defending NCAA champion Laura Westphal of Williams for the first couple 100s. As the race progressed, however, Westphal closed the distance, and would go on to further extend it to take the win by almost ten seconds; touching at 16:35.50. Dermer followed in tow with a 16:44.55, followed by Saint Kate’s freshman Margaret Menso, who clocked a 16:47.96.

Kenyon’s Kendall Vanderhoof had a big backhalf to score a lifetime best and fourth place finish with her 16:52.66. NYU’s Rachel Reistroffer was the final siwmmer to crack 17 in the championship final, posting a 16:55.85.

Composing the remainder of the top eight was Denison’s Natalie Zaravella (16:56.15), SUNY Geneseo’s Nancy Nasky (17:00.10), and Wheaton College’s Lydia Dacorte (17:00.61).

WOMEN’S 100 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 48.98 3/20/2010, Kendra Stern, Amherst

1. Fiona Muir, Emory – 49.37
2. Maddie Hopkins, Denison – 49.97
3. Rebecca Erwin, Birmingham Southern – 50.50
4. Megan Taylor, Emory – 50.53
5. Brooke Barnes, Wheaton College – 50.54
6. Hannah Orbach-Mandel, Kenyon – 51.03
7. Lucena Daro, Emory – 51.28
8. Abby Wilson, Kenyon – 51.39

Fiona Muir locked up her third individual NCAA event title, as the senior touched the wall in 49.37 to win the 100 free. Her victory marks the third year in a row that she’s won this event. Denison’s Maddie Hopkins dipped below 50 point to claim the runner-up spot, stopping the clock at 49.97. Rebecca Erwin of Birmingham Southern rounded off the top three, posting a 50.50 for third.

Emory’s Megan Taylor narrowly out-touched Brooke Barnes of Wheaton College – the two finished fourth and fifth in times of 50.53 and 50.54.

Kenyon’s Hannah Orbach-Mandel (51.03), Emory’s Lucena Daro (51.28), and Kenyon’s Abby Wilson (51.39) also competed in the championship final.

WOMEN’S 200 YARD BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:55.67 3/24/2018, Crile Hart, Kenyon

1. Crile Hart, Kenyon – 1:56.62
2. Meghan Peel, Hope – 1:58.50
3. Delaney Ambrosen, Kenyon – 1:59.58
4. Jessilyn Ecklund, Vassar – 1:59.60
5. Laura Rosado, MIT – 2:00.96
6. Gillian Gagnard, Chicago – 2:01.35
7. Sydney Okubo, John’s Hopkins – 2:01.70
8. Gaige Elms, Emory – 2:03.91

Kenyon sophomore Crile Hart, the defending champion in this event, got out to a quick start on the first 50. Hope College’s Meghan Peel gave chase, effectively closing the gap by the 150 mark. With a huge last 50, Hart had a substantial lead by the end of the race, touching first in a time of 1:56.62. Peel touched third in a time of 1:58.50.

Although it appeared Vassar College’s Jessilyn Ecklund was going to touch third, Kenyon senior Delaney Ambrosen managed to to get her hand on first, taking third in a time of 1:59.58. Ecklund settled for fourth with a 1:59.60, while Rosado recorded a 2:00.96 for fifth.

Chicago’s Gillian Gagnard (2:01.35), John’s Hopkins’s Sydney Okubo (2:01.70), and Emory’s Gaige Elms (2:03.91) earned top eight finishes.

WOMEN’S 200 YARD BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:12.20 2/20/2016, Sam Senczyszyn, Wisconsin-Eau Claire

1. KT Kustriz, Denison – 2:12.33
2. Jordyn Wentzel, Saint Kate’s – 2:12.59
3. Caroline White, Williams – 2:13.91
4. Ashley Daniels, Emory – 2:14.10
5. Emily Hageboeck, Washington & Lee – 2:15.80
6. Kate Mesaros, Denison – 2:16.92
7. Nina Fitzgerald, Amherst – 2:18.09
8. Alexandra Werner, Pomona-Pitzer – 2:18.15

Denison junior KT Kustriz completed her sweep of the breaststroke events, as she claimed the national title in the 200 breast with a time of 2:12.33, a little over a tenth of a second off of the NCAA title. Saint Kate’s freshman Jordyn Wentzel almost ran Kustriz down in the last 10 yards, but settled for second in a time of 2:12.59.

Williams’s Caroline White held off Ashley Daniels of Emory, as the two picked up third and fourth place finishes with their respective times of 2:13.91 and 2:14.10. Emily Hageboeck out of Washington & Lee notched fifth in a time of 2:15.80.

Denison’s Kate Mesaros (2:16.92), Amherst’s Nina Fitzgerald (2:18.09), and Pomona-Pitzer’s Alexandra Werner occupied the sixth through eight spots in the final.

WOMEN’S 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:18.46 3/24/2018, Emory (Muir, Cheng, Ong, Taylor)

1. Kenyon – 3:20.05
2. Emory – 3:21.18
3. Denison – 3:22.24

Denison’s Maddie Hopkins, the national runner-up in the 100 free earlier tonight, got the lead for the Big Red after the first leg with her 49.89 lead-off. Kenyon’s Hannah Orbach-Mandel pulled the Ladies squad back into title contention, splitting a 50.07. Emmie Mirus (50.23) and Crile Hart (49.46) closed the meet out with a victory in the 400 free relay with a final time of 3:20.05.

Emory’s Fiona Muir, unsurprisingly, overtook Denison on the last leg with her scorching 48.77 anchor leg split. Also getting splits from Megan Taylor (50.62), Lucena Daro (50.92) and Zoe Walker (50.87), the Eagles finished second in a combined time of 3:21.18. The Denison Big Red relay registered a third place winning time of 3:22.24.

Top 10 Teams:

1. Emory – 488
2. Kenyon – 479
3. Denison – 419
4. Williams – 323
5. NYU – 203
6. Chicago – 171
7. Pomona-Pitzer – 143
8. Amherst – 129
9. MIT – 125
10. Washington & Lee – 121.5